Lubricating system



June 20, 1944. E. w. DAvls LBRIGATING SYSTEM Filed April 1e, 1941 M52@ .Paddy Patented June 20, 1944 mural)y 's'mfrrsu pAjggN'lfonfl Laataia Ernest 'W; Davis, Rver Fdresntfvlll., assigner to Stewart-Warner Gorporat-ipn, fGhicago; Ill., a. Y

corporatonnf Virginia Applicatioufnprilic, 1941, senin No. 3333741", f 1 j Aclantis. (crisi-'n My invention relates to lubricating systems, and more particularly to centralizedglubricating systems wherein the individual bearings are equipped with measuring valves which supply metered quantities of lubricant to theinrespec. tive bearings. t t

An object of my invention is to provide acentralized lubricating system which is inexpensive to manufacture and install, and whichv accurately supplies the individual bearingsfwth the proper amounts of lubricant.

Another object of my invention is to provide a lubricating system which can have any .desired piping arrangement, and which is read-ily adaptable to all types .of machinery. t A

Another object is to provide acentralized lubria eating system having -no .criticalrelaticnship be tween the measuring valvesand the size or length of the conduits connecting them. A

Another object is to provide an improved lubrifcating system in which the eect of leakage occuring in any one measuring valve is .confined to the particular ibearing to which vthat measure ing valve is connected. y

Another object is to provide an improved Ineas.,- uring valve. I

Another object is to provide an improved incase'V uring valve, in which the opportunity for, and elect of, leakage are minimized.

Another object is toprovide anfimproved measuring `valve `so designed that undulyclose lfitting of the several parts -thereof is unnecessary. y

Another object -is tofprovide an improved meas.- uring valve in which the operationofsupplying lubricant to the bearing Acannot .takeplace '-until after the measuring chamber has been completely filled with lubricant.

Other objects and advantages wil1 vbecome ap'-l parent as the description proceeds.

In the drawing: V

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic -illustrationof a lubri.- eating system embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view :through one of the measuring valves vand .bearings .shown inFg. 1; and t l Fig. 3 is a View similar toEig. 2, butshowing the parts in a di-ierentposition.

In Fig. i1, 'I `have diagrannnatically illustrated a centralized lubricating system having alulori.- cant container I Il connected to a Dump I2J Which may be either hand orpower operated. lhepurnp l2 discharges the lubricant .under Ypressure Iinto one or more pipe lines i4, which may .be .arranged .in parallel .or any other desired arrangement. .In this heure., the pipe line I4 is illustratadas including at least three measuring valves Ht althcushit t@ vhe .understood 'that-VIRY improved;lubricating-prt@ may incorporate any numberaand desired arrangement of measuring with' @threaded nipple -l`8 for attachment to the bearings 20.

Referring more particularly to Figs, 2 and 3, it 1wil-lbe'seen that .each measuring. valve .comprises a casting y22 having a part' termine the nipple lffvrAettach-ing the measuring valve to 2.2. -is shown as. .having tw.

Que :Qthe bearings 2.0.-..V .TI'hepasting .0r base Y w A Dhbsled .openings 24fa1i1125threaded f9.1 attach; itt to nipeslsuch aps-fthe pipes .2'8 and 3.0.r .30th .threaded .openings or ducts 24 Vand 26 communicate with a chamber 3.2. andaeither openingrnay form theinlet openingthrough which lubricant is supplied to' the chamber 32.v The other ripening may ,be .connetted .eitherto an'othcrmeasuring valve or may be :closed .by a plug like the plus 34 of iFig.. Therese .2.2 providesa lower portion of the valvechmber 315, the upper .portion .of .this chamber', .being formedtbr .the lower .end .or a union 38a A. pgntt All leadsty@ Naive seat 42 normally closed by -a'spring pressed valve 44 in the hollow nipple i8 to lcut olf communication *between the valve .chamber 36am@ ,the bearing surfaces ofthe bearig. 1 A

.A .cylinder lL6V is threaded 'or'f'otherwise' secured to the upper endfof -the union -3V8,.and a sealing washer. 4.8 is clamped between 'the lower end of the cylinder 46 and@ Shoulder formed in Athe union ,3.8 lIhe cylinderfd has. ports all which establish nonninunication between the interior of this lcylinder and thechamberiZ.

t A hollowpiston .5.2 is, adapted' to reciprocate in .thepylinder Q6, theupperend of this hollow piston being closedbya ,plug '51tr The upper end ofgth'e I,pittori 5.2'ghas... anee i@ farming a Seat i for spring .58 .locatedfbetween fthe 'ilangcft andan .annular recess formed inthe base72'2.

thrust'oi the spring ,is limited Ab 'y a valve lmember .suihaving a tapered valve portion '6.2 engageable .with..a valvefseat' 6.4 provided by the union 3.8. 4[Ifile upper .end .pf .theyalvememberextends .ihren-gh' an ripening. the fa-ce 0f the iris- 130111.52 .allidLS threaded asindicated at B6 tore- .of thev measuring valves ylli is `,provided- A cover au isY threadmy attaiie'd ,tonie bas` 22 as indicated at 82. This cover encloses and cant pressure.

protects the operating parts of the measuring valve and also defines the chamber 32 into which lubricant supplied by the pump I2 is admitted.

In the operation of my new and improved` lubricating system, the pump I2 is-supplied with,

lubricant from the reservoir IIJ, which may be either an integral part of thepump structure or entirely separate therefrom. The pump dis- This head functions as a piston in the portion I6 of the union 38, so that the lubricant pressure acting on the upper surface of this head causes the valve member to pull the piston 52 downwardly against the tension of spring 58. The head 'I4 is preferably made with an eiective area several times the area of the valve member -60- which is exposed to lubricant pressure before this valve member moves away from its seat 64, and I have found that a ratio of y A i to 1 is entirely satisfactory.

With this ratio, four times the force is available'to overcome the resistance of the spring 58 as soonas-valve member 60 moves away from its Afseat.. 64, and the result is that the valve member x68 and, piston 52 descend rapidly. This relieves the pressure in the lubricating system until the piston 52'has'completed its downward movement,

charges this lubricant into one or more pipelines incorporating like or ing'valves I6.' g v -v Y o In the particulararrangement Ishown in F'ig. l, the lubricant enters therstfmeasuring' valve through the threaded inlet 24 and flows intothe chamber 32. The lubricant supplied by thepurnp completely fills the chamber 32l and-flowsthrough the ports 50into the measuring chamber'84 prc` vided by the cylinder 46.

At the same timet-he lubricantv is filling the chambers 32 and 84, it is free to flow through the outlet 26 and pipe 30 to the succeeding measuring valves in the pipeline and to ll the chambers 32 and measuring chambers `84 either simu1, taneously or successively,I depending uponv the particular elevations of the several :measuring unlike numbers of measurvalves and the fluidity of the particular lubricant` used. l y n After all of the pipe lines and chambers32 and 34 of allot the measuring valves4 connected to the pump I2 have been lled with luloricantrfurjv ther operation of the pump increases thelubricant pressure in the system. This lubricant pressureacts upon the exposed annular'portions Ililiv of the valve members 60'and tendst'o urge these l valve members downwardly away from their seats 64. This movement of thevalvei members"IIl is resisted by the springs 58, The;r measuring valves may be so designed vthat any desired ylubricant pressure will be required to move the valvemernf bers 6I! downwardly against the resistance of 'the springs 58, and I havef'ound that excellent -res lts follow when thesemeasuringA valvesgare so' designed that 'the' operation of the measuring valves is initiated rby the .downward movement' of the valve memb'ers'BIl'-when rthe lubricant pres;l sure reaches airvalue of Vfapproi'rima'tely 1600 pounds per square inch. v,

In manufacturing the measuring valves, n ormal variations in the sizes of the ,several parts of the measuring valves will4 vresultv in 1 producing measuring valves which initiate their operation atV slightly different lubricant pressures. Thisl is advantageous in` thaty no `'twom'easurin'g valves Will start to operate at identically thefsame p'res-l and precludes the operation of any other measuring valve until the movement of the piston 52 has been completed.

-Asl the piston 52 moves downwardly, it closes the ports 50 and isolates the lubricant inthe measuring chamber 84. Further descent of the piston 52 due to the pressure of the lubricant on the upper end thereof forces the lubrcant'in the measuring chamber 84 through the valve seat 64 and displaces a'corresponding amount of lubricant into the bearing 20. The piston 52 and head 'I4 are of the'same diameter, so that the `lubricant can flow freely from the measuring chamber 84 Vinto the upper end of the vvalve chamber 36 while the head 'I4 is still in the portionl'I of union 38.` After the head14 passes into the enlarged lower end of the valve-chamber r36 and comes to rest against the end wall 98 of this chamber, the piston 52 continues its descent and lubricant is forced past the head 'I4 and through channel 'I8 to outlet 40 leading to the bearing surfaces. -1 i When the piston 52 has completed its downward stroke itforms a sealing engagement with the gasket 48, thereby preventing the flow of further lubricant intovthe valve 4chamber 35 under `the pressure created by the pump I2. This position of the parts is shown in Fig. 3, and the parts of the` measuring valve remain in this position until all other measuring valves in the sys-Y tem have completedtheir operation, and pressure on the piping and measuring valves is relieved by opening a relief valve 92. In Fig. 1, this relief valve is illustrated as being located in a by-pass 94, but would ordinarily be an integral part of the pump I2. When the pressure in the lubricating systemis relieved, the parts of the measuring valves; return to the position shown in Fig. 2.V As the piston 52 and valve member 60 are returned toiniti'a'l'position by spring 58, the check valve 44 in the nipple I8 prevents back ow of lubricant from the-bearing 20 into valve vchamber 36. Alv suction` is createdin measuring chamber 84 by return movement of piston 52, and this*Y suction' is partly or wholly relieved as the piston 52 uncovers the p o'rts 50. If reliefA of this suction does not suice to' ll completely the measuringchamber 84,"tliis chamber will be completely filled by lubricant pressure created by the pump IZ-before valve l member 60 is again 'moved from its seat 64 `-to' initiate another operation of the measuring valve.` Particular attention is calledto the fact that the poppet valve 60 is located between the measuring chamber and the bearing, thereby preventing initiation of Vmeasuring val-ve operation untill after the measuring chamber has been completely filled with lubricant and the predetermined lubricant pressure to initiate operation is available at the discharge outlet of the measuring chamber.

As soon as the poppet valve 60 leaves its seat several times the force necessary to overcome the spring 58 is immediately available, with resulting rapid descent of the piston 52. This rapid descent minimizes the opportunity for leakage. Furthermore, during the period the piston 52 is moving to close the ports 50, direct access to the outlet 40 from the measuring chamber 84 is cut off by the head 14, so that at no time is there direct communication between the outlet 40 and the lubricant in the chamber 32 and piping connected thereto.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a new and improved lubricating system which can be readily installed on any type of machinery, and that my lubricating system can be inexpensively made of parts produced by conventional methods, and with normal tolerances.

My new and improved lubricating sys-tem is particularly adapted for use where the lubricant to be supplied to the bearing is grease, although my lubricating system may also be used with oil or other lubricants.

While I have illustrated and described in detail only one form of my invention, it is to be understood that my invention may assume numerous forms, and is to be construed as including all variations falling Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A measuring valve comprising means providing a valve chamber, a cylinder providing a measuring chamber, there being a passageway connecting said chambers, a poppet Valve normally closing said passageway, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder for discharging lubricant from said cylinder into said valve chamber, a spring for moving said piston and valve in one direction, means connecting said piston and valve for simultaneous movement, a cover providing a lubricant chamber enclosing said piston and spring, a single inlet for said cover, said inlet being adapted for connection to a source of lubricant under intermittent pressure, a port connecting said last named chamber with said cylinder, and a valved vpassage connecting said valve chamber with a bearing surface.

2. A measuring valve comprising a base having a pair of opposed passages, a cover attached to said base and cooperating therewith to provide a lubricant chamber communicating with said passages, a cylinder having a port communicating with said chamber, a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, a spring for urging said piston in one direction, a valve limiting movement of said piston under the influence of said spring, means including said base providing a valve chamber communicating with said cylinder to receive lubricant discharged therefrom, said valve controlling said communication, said valve having an enlarged head and said valve chamber having a portion of reduced diameter forming a cylinder for said head, means engaged by said piston at the end of its discharge stroke for sealing communication between said valve chambe-r and said rst mentioned chamber, and a valved discharge passage for said valve chamber.

3. A measuring valve adapted for connection to a source of lubricant under intermittent pressure and operated by such pressure, said valve including a measuring chamber, a piston reciprocable therein, an inlet port for said measuring chamber controlled by said piston, a two diameter valve chamber communicating with said measuring chamber, means providing a duct for connecting said valve chamber with a bearing surface, a poppet valve having a sealing surface and an enlarged head iitting the smaller of said two diameters, means connecting said valve and piston whereby movement of said valve under lubricant pressure moves said piston to close said port, and a spring for returning said piston.

4. A measuring valve adapted for connection to a source of lubricant under intermittent pressure and operated by such pressure, said valve comprising a measuring chamber, a piston reciprocable in said measuring chamber and operable in one direction by lubricant pressure, a spring for returning said pis-ton, means for connecting said measuring valve with a bearing surface, a two diameter valve chamber interposed between said measuring chamber and associated bearing surface, a resiliently closed poppet valve controlling communication between said measuring chamber and said valve chamber, said poppet valve having a sealing surface and a head closely fitting the smaller diameter of said valve chamber, and means connecting said poppet valve and piston whereby movement of said poppet valve under lubricant pressure creates a corresponding movement of said piston.

ERNEST W. DAVIS. 

